A/N: And this is where things get messy! Please give me some feedback, or thoughts on where you think this is going!
Chapter Nine: A Forgotten Bond
Hawke couldn't believe her eyes as she walked on the bridge by Skyhold's garden. Down below, amidst the various pots of assorted plants that the Inquisitor had been inclined to grow, was a familiar set of yellow eyes. She had never thought to run into such a distant memory here of all places, but fate had always been strange.
"And what are you gawking at?" A low and steady voice snapped her out of her
reverie.
"Varric?" Hawke almost felt ashamed at her obvious stalking even though she knew Varric had no idea about the Champion's association with the Empress's liaison. "I was just in awe of the garden."
"Champion of Kirkwall, part of my brother's damned expedition, and now traveling across all of Thedas, and the Inquisitor's garden has you flushed? Hawke, you're as bad at lying as ever." Varric chuckled and scanned the gardens for the true purpose of Hawke's gawking. "I'm sure it's not the elfroots that have your attention, or the chantry sisters, so it must be that very strange, but beautiful woman that emanates with raw magical power… am I right?"
Hawke sighed and knew it wasn't in her best interest to keep lying. "She's a childhood friend of mine."
"A childhood friend?" Varric was thoroughly surprised. "She's one of Flemeth's infamous daughters… I suppose your dealings with Flemeth shouldn't surprise me one bit."
"It was a long time ago, we were just children, but fate does have a funny way of lacing it all together."
"So you were just friends?" Varric was good at digging.
"Of course, well best friends, you know that sort of thing." Hawke waved her hand in the air to dissipate any suspicion that it was anything more.
"I can see how she's your type; I bet even Rivaini would…" He received a death glare from his companion. "Just saying."
"I'm sure Isabela would be more than intrigued."
"Have you gone over and said hi yet?"
"No."
"No?" Varric was curious again.
"She may not remember me."
"I'm sure you two aren't that old." Varric patted Hawke on the back and grinned. "Come on, I'll introduce you myself." He tugged at Hawke's arm.
"Wait!" Hawke shouted a little louder than was necessary, and Morrigan was beginning to turn their way. Without thinking, Hawke pushed Varric to the floor and fell right beside him. "Maker I'm stupid!"
Varric started to laugh as he brushed the dirt off of him and looked back down at the garden. Morrigan either didn't care about the strange scene or hadn't witnessed their fall. Either way he motioned for Hawke that she was in the clear to stand up.
"So I'm guessing you're a little shy about this whole thing."
"Something like that." Hawke muttered and crossed her arms. "I'll eventually go say hi, just not right at this moment."
"Alright, alright," Varric raised his hands up in defeat, "there will be no more interruptions by me… at least not directly." He winked and left a flustered Hawke to stand on her own.
After composing herself, and making sure her cheeks were their usual pale selves, she headed towards the garden. Upon entering through the main doors, Hawke's mind started racing with the memories she had acquired only a year ago. She had never thought to see Morrigan again, and honestly with everything that was going on in Thedas, searching for a long-lost best friend was the last thing on her list of things to do. So caught up in her thoughts was she, that the sudden contact with another's body had her thrown completely off balance and onto the floor.
"Sorry about that!" Hawke was beginning to believe she had been hexed as she recovered from her fall.
"You seem to be deep in thought." The Inquisitor's spymaster smirked and helped Hawke up. "I hear we have a mutual acquaintance."
"Varric? I hope he's as much an asset and friend to you as he is to me." Hawke smiled, but Leliana's eyes continued to linger on her.
"Ah yes, I just spoke with him, but he's not the acquaintance I was thinking of, Champion. I once travelled with Morrigan and the Hero of Ferelden during the last blight."
"Oh, Morrigan… yes, well…" Hawke was at a loss of what to say, "I haven't spoken to Morrigan in years, I doubt we could even be called acquaintances now."
"Varric mentioned that you were childhood friends. I didn't think that woman was capable of making friends when I first met her."
Damn that story weaving dwarf, thought Hawke as she made up reasons to excuse herself. Then it dawned on her… she had no idea who Morrigan had become as of late. She knew she was the Empress' liaison, but this was the first she had heard of her being part of the Hero of Ferelden's group. Perhaps talking to Leliana would help her fill in some holes.
"Was she very antisocial upon meeting her?"
"She was quite the character, and my belief in the Maker did not make things any easier. I used to believe she was mean for sport. Was she not so as a child?"
"Mean for sport? Never, she was very considerate." Hawke recalled a time when she went out to meet Morrigan in the woods, but confronted Flemeth instead. Morrigan had caught a cold waiting for Hawke the previous day regardless of the pouring rain. "At least I got along with her fine enough. It might have helped that we were both mages."
"You evaded the Circle completely then?" Leliana asked, since receiving the offer to be the next Divine, the topic had become more important to her. "It's strange is it not?"
Hawke quirked her eyebrow.
"The heroes of this age seem to be mages all around. The Hero of Ferelden had once been a Circle mage before being recruited by the Grey Wardens, The Champion of Kirkwall was an apostate that rose to noble status, and our Inquisitor once belonged to the Circle at Starkhaven when such a thing existed. You would think people would begin to revere mages rather than fear them. But magic isn't quite that simple, and neither are the people of Thedas."
"Is it the magic that sets us apart?" Hawke struggled with the topic of mages ever since her mother's death. "I was taught that magic is not only a tool, but a part of my body, as essential as my heart. I think if mages were taught differently about magic and their role as mages, they'd understand their no less human, and no more god than anyone else-I'm not sure if Chantry Circles help with that."
Leliana smiled, "well said Champion, would you like to join me in my quarters up the tower? I'd still like to discuss our mutual friend."
Hawke almost choked on the air, completely taken off guard by Leliana's switch of topics. Why was she so interested in her and Morrigan's relationship? In fact, she caught a twinkle of mischief in the spymaster's eye as she awaited Hawke's response.
"Sure, I'm not sure I can satisfy your curiosity, but I can try."
That was enough for Leliana to all but drag the Champion up the tower for an interrogation. The assassin had been swamped daily with dark, morbid and dooming news, it was long past due for some gossip. She recalled the days she spent traveling Fereldan with the Grey Warden, and once even thought herself to be in love with him. Although it wasn't surprising that Morrigan had won his heart over, as she was remarkably beautiful and intelligent, Leliana still wondered what drew the Warden to her. According to Varric's tale of how Hawke reacted whilst caught watching Morrigan, Leliana knew there was something more to their relationship.
Hawke caught her breath as Leliana practically strapped her to the nearest chair. She hadn't been handled this roughly since… well now that she came to think of it, since she last saw Isabela. That pirate would probably be smirking at the situation Hawke presently found herself in.
"It's quite dark up here, but overall cozy" Hawke chuckled trying to lighten up the atmosphere.
"I asked the Inquisitor for a place that I could watch from above and keep to myself when need be. It suits my purposes."
"So… I take it you did not get along with Morrigan?"
"Not quite, I'm sure she saw me as a rival of sorts."
"A rival?"
"Indeed, the Hero of Fereldan was more than just a handsome man. He was kind, brave, with just the right pinch of mischief and a fiery soul. He had quite a few admirers, and I was one of them as was Morrigan."
Hawke eagerly listened and waited for Leliana to continue.
"At first I don't believe Morrigan was in love with him, but it became apparent she was falling the longer we journeyed together. You would catch her looking at the Warden from her section of camp, and letting a small smile slip before anyone could catch it."
"Her section of camp?"
"Ah yes, she made her own camp a bit aways from the rest of us. I don't think she was used to so many people."
Hawke started to laugh as she remembered her friend separating herself from all the village kids. The one time she had agreed to accompany Hawke to play with the kids from Ostagar, she watched from the bush first and decided they were not worth her time. She also acutely remembered that the village girls were clinging on to Hawke (she was a big hit with the girls for some reason) when one complained about being shocked as she touched Hawke. She had no doubt it was Morrigan who had shocked the girls away.
"Morrigan didn't really get along with the village kids. I liked playing with everybody, but I liked playing with Morrigan the best." Hawke flashed Leliana her boyish smile and the rogue was taken aback… her mannerisms were actually very much like her Warden companion. Then she remembered a slight observation she had made when going through Hawke's lineage during the Seeker's trip to Kirkwall back before all of this mayhem.
"Amell…" Leliana observed Hawke's reaction to the name. "That was your mother's maiden name, correct?"
"Yes, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the spymaster would know such things."
"The Warden, he was also an Amell. Though I imagine a very distant cousin."
"I do recall mother saying something about that; I never paid it much mind."
The cogs and gears in Leliana's head began to turn rapidly as she pieced together a hypothesis. The allure she felt towards the Warden was akin to the allure she was beginning to feel towards Hawke. She had heard tales of the Champion from Varric, and her bard heart loved the romantic elements that made up Hawke's history. She knew that Hawke was currently entangled with the Pirate Queen, Isabela, and that it was no easy feat to win her favor. Leliana remembered just how wily the pirate had been when they had met her in Denerim… she almost went back wondering if Isabela would offer her the same private lesson. She looked Hawke up and down and stopped her imagination from going too far. Morrigan had a very attractive childhood friend. It began to occur to her that Morrigan's love for the Warden, may have very well started with the mage before her.
"Have you talked to her yet?"
Hawke was glad that the lighting was somewhat dim as she wouldn't want Leliana further speculating her blush.
"I was on my way to say hello when I bumped into you."
"I don't mean to be blunt, but… were you only just friends?" Leliana went for the kill.
"Only, what? Uh, I mean, yes, of course!" Hawke stammered. "We were best friends." She cleared her throat and rose from the chair. "I've enjoyed talking with you Leliana, but I don't want it to get too late. We should grab a drink some time at the tavern!" Before the spymaster could reply, Hawke ran down the stairs, only to crash and apologize her way down.
Leliana chuckled, things had gotten very interesting and she was sure she was right on the pulse of the matter. Hawke was most likely Morrigan's first love, but something was a bit off… Morrigan openly detested bonding with another female. Leliana would have said it was because of her strong attachment to Hawke, but that didn't feel quite right to the rogue's senses. She sighed in her chair, there were some parts of the story that just weren't hers to know.
